Automatic door opener and closer.



APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1906.

HTS-SHEET 1.

K. N'ISHIMOTO.

PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER AND CLOSER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1906.

lT/VESSES:

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

K. NISHIMOTO. AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER AND CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1906.

PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

K. NISHIMOTO. AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER AND CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25. 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTOE.

AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER AND CLOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed June 25, 1906. Serial No; 823,804-

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENZAEMQN NISHI- MOTO, a citizen of Japan, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Door Openers and Closers, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to means for automatically opening and closing doors. Its object is to provide a means for automatically opening and closing doors which will combine the use of a spring-motor and an electric motor. The s ring-motor is adapted to open the door or core, and the electric motor is designed to reset the spring-motorin readiness for the next operation, one pur ose of my invention being to save power by avthe electric motor operate only at interva s when actually needed.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as

hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawin s,'in which igure 1 is a plan-view of the operating mechanism of the invention with the platforms partially broken away and showing the spring-motor at the right in set 0 erative position and with the motor on the eft released to o enthe doors toward the right. Fig. 2 is a si e elevation of the means for setting the motors. 3 is a side elevation of the clutch-operating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism for preventing the simultaneous depression of both platforms. Fig. 5 is a plan view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 with the latch in normal position. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the latchengaged behind a block. Fig. 7 is an'elevation of the clutch mechanism for operating the pinion. Fig. 8 is a section on line a; m, Fig, 7. Fig. 9 is a detail of the detent means for the spring-motor. Fig. 10 is an elevation of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 1 1 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a detail of the door-shaft-operating means.

Inthe embodiment of my invention I have shown the double doors AA hung to swin in either direction and normally held closed and in the same plane by the spring 2 acting on-the two arms 4, which are rigid with the door-shafts 5.

The arms and springs and the operating mechanism for opening and closing t e doors ltflo be described are arranged beneath the oor.

The doors are fixed to their respective shafts 5, so as to turn in unison with them. If desired, the shafts may be spring-supported in the doors to relieve shock, as in my former patent, No. 807,043, dated December 12, 1905.

On each side of the door-opening is a hin ed platform 6. These platforms are pivota y supported, as on t e pivot-shaft 7, along their ad'acent edges and are resiliently supported at t eir outer edges on the springs 8. Suitable mechanism constituting my in-' vention is employed to open the doors simultaneously in one directlon and away from one platform when that platform is depressed and to open the doors slmultaneously in the opposite'direction when the-other platform is de ressed a The opening of the doors in either direction is effected by a spring-motor, one arranged on each side of thedoor and adapted to be released on the depression of a platform and to be reset ready for the next operation'by an electric motor operating intermittently through the medium of the spring-motors.

Each spring-motor comprises a carriage 9, sliding on gui es 10 and carrying two rods 11,

which support at their outer ends a cross- 'head 12.' This cross-head slides in unison with carriage'9 on the fixed bar 13. A helical s ring 14, surrounding bar 13, bears against the cross-head and against a fixed part 15 and tends normally to press the cross-head outward away from the door-opening.

Each carriage 9 carries a rack-bar 16, which is adaptedto be engaged by a sliding pinion 17 on power-shaft 18, one bar 16 bei mittently from any suitable source of power, as an electric motor with suitable connections, asa belt passing over pulley- 18 on shaft 18.

When the pinion 17 is'slid in between the bars 16 and rotated, one or the other of the Hg arranged above the pinion and the other below the pinion.. Shaft 18.is operated inter-' IOO bars will be reciprocated to com ress a corresponding spring 14, as indicate at the right of Figs. 1, 2. The two' bars are cut out,

as-shown at 19, Fig. 2-,.so that when one spring 14 is compressed and locked (by means of the knobs 20*on rods 11 and the locking-bar 21 in amanner to be described shortly) the other bar 16 may be engaged to pull in the expanded spring without the gear I7, interfering in anv way with the other bar LII - and its spring-operated mechanism.

Eaclrs ring-motor has a crosswise-extend ing-lengt wise-movable locking-bar 21, having the perforations 22 23. The perforations 22 accommodate the guides 10, and the perforations 23 permit the rods 11 to have a free sliding movement through them under certain conditions, the holes 23 being enlarged at one end to pass the knobs 20 on the rods 11.

. loose arms 26 connect by links 27 with one cross-head 12, and the lower loose arms 26 connect b similar links 27 with the other cross-hea The links pivot a short distance from their ends to their respective arms 26, as at 28, and have concaved heads 29, which'are adapted when the doors are in closed position and a cross-head moved outward to engage behind a pin or projection 30 on the rigid arms 25 and open the doors in the proper manner. It is understood that the shape and size of the heads 29 and their location with respect to their pivots 28 are such that with the doors in normally closed position and both springs 14 set arms 25 can turn with the doors in one direction when engaged by the one pair of heads 29 without engaging or interfering with the other pair of heads 29. Vice versa, the doors may turn in the opposite direction Without interfering with the first-mentioned pair of heads. Thus while the heads are disposed when the doors are closed and the spring-motors set in such position that they Will lie just outside the are described by the arms 25 still a head 29 will describe such an irregular curve when its cross-head moves outward that a pin 30 will be surely intercepted and a door-shaft turned.

' When the doors are in a normally closed position, the arms 4 and springs 2 stand. in line, and the crossheads 12 are brought in close to the doors to compress the springs 14, and both motors are in set position.

When across-head is released and moved outward by the expansion of its spring 14 as indicatedat the left of Fig. 1, the links 27 and their corresponding connections operate on the door-shafts to open the doors toward theright, as indicated in that figure, the spring-motor on the right being unaffected by the operation of the motor on the left.

A spring 24, carried by each bar 21, acts on a guide 10 to press its bar 21 normally- When the other cross-head is released, the links 27 act to open the doors in a reverse direction.

The release of the spring-motor to open This link works through a slot 39 in a fixed plate 42 and has a hook 4O onits under side arranged. to be engaged by a cross-head'iZ when the latter is moved inward toward the. l

late 42, as

doors to set its spring 14. The link 39 is partly above. and partly below shown in Fig. 10. The front wa l of the slot 39 forms a support for the link to ride, on. When the link is at its innermost position, or, what is the same thing, when lever 36i's. set as in Figs. 10, 11 and right of Fig. nan inclined part 41 on the under side of the link is adapted to ride up on the plate andlift the hook 40 out of the range'of action of cross- I head 12. However, when lever 36 is released it pulls link 39 out and down, so that hook 40 can be engaged by cross-head 12 at the proper time. A spring 42 is fixed to the top of plate 42 and bears on the top of link 39- to depress the latter into proper engaging position with the cross-head. The function of link 39 is simply to reset lever 36 when spring 14 is being reset by meansvof the rack-and pin The release of the lever 36 from its catch 34 has the effect of releasing its corresponding spring 14 and causing the doorsto open. In

'Fig. 1 lever 36 at the right is shown as set.

At the left of the same figureit is shown as released. When lever 36 is released, its spring 38 rocks 1t and causes. a curved member 43 to engage androck a lever 44, whichlatter isfulorumed to a fixed part of the apparatus at 45. This lever 44 is adapted to engage a pin or projection 46 on a locking-bar 21 and to-move this locking bar against the tension of its spring 24 and to bring theenlarged portions of the perforations 23 into line with the knobs 20. This results immediately in the release of the spring 14 at that side of the doors and the opening of the doors accordingly.

After a spring .14 has been released, I as shown at the left'of Fig. 1, the crossehead 12 is moved beneath plate 42 and behind hook 40. When the cross-head is moved in again in the act of compressing spring 14, the crosshead engages hook 40 and pulls lever 36 around against the tension of pring 38 until the lever is caught by the latch 34. As soon as latch 34 has caught the lever the link-L.

1s pressed down to embrace ap roximately one-half of shaft 18.. The sprea er 52 on one side of theapparatus,;or on the left as here shown, engages on top of shaft 18, while the spreader 52 on the other side of the apparatus engages on the under side of shaft 18.

. 'AS shown in Fig. 3, lever'49 on the-right is made in two sections, jointed at 49 to enableits sprin'g-su port 51 normally to carry its spreader 52 ownward from shaft 18. I These spreaders'52 are'movable into and out of enagement with the loose collar 54 and the fixed collar 56 on shaft 18 for the purpose of withdrawing pinion 17 from between the racks 16, the'pinion 17 being inserted between racks 16 throu h the medium of cams 55, as will be describe Pinion 17 is slidable on and turnable with shaft '18 and is connectedbysuitable means, as the two rods 53, with the loose collar 54, which is slidable on and turnable with shaft 18. Therods 53 work in suitable longitudinally-extending grooves in shaft 18, so as not to interfere withthe turning movements of the complementary cams 55, which encircle and turn on the shaft between the gear 17 and collar 56. The latter is between the slidin collar 54 and cams 55 and is fixed to sha t 18. A spring 57 operates against the collars 54 56 to carry the pinion 17 normally out of engagement with either of the racks 16. On the opposite side of cams 55 or adjacent to inion 17 is a helical spring 58, a little stifier t an spring57, but shorter than the maximum distance between cams 55 andpinion 17, so that with the cams in closed position, as shown in Fig. 7, the spring 58 will be relaxed. If, however, the cams 55 are turned with relation to one another to open them out, as in Fig. 1, the innermost cam will engage a loose washer 59 on shaft 18, compress springs 58 57, and pushf gear 17 in between the racks 16. The purpose of spring 58 is to relieve shock to the ap.

paratus and p'reyent breakage from the too sudden operationof the parts. Each cam 55 has a projecting arm 60, and each arm is operated on by a respective spring 61 to carry the two cams into relatively closed position. Each arm connects by a link 62 with an arm 63 of a rock-shaft 64, which latter has two short. arms 65 66.

When a spring-motor is released, its carriage 9 flies outward on its guides 10 and in so doing engages. near the 611(1 of its stroke an arm 65 to rock one of the cams 55 and open them out so as to compress spring 58 and push gear 17 at the proper moment in between'the racks 16. At the same time the outward movement of the cross-head 12 opens the doors in the manner previously indicated. The spreading apart of came 55 sets the shaft 18 1n operation by reason of the engagement of a spri, -actuated bell crank lever 67 in the path 0 the cams,lever 67 actin to close the circuit through wires 68 whic connect with the motor 69.

When the arm 63 is rocked to s read the cams 55, the arm 66 engages behin a epri stop 70 on lever 49 to hold thecams 55 m spread position until the carriage 9 has been retracted and the knobs 20 reengaged behind its lock-bar 21. As the carriage is retracted it engages a stop 71 on lever 49, de resses the lever 49, and interposes its sprea er 52 between the collars 54 56 and removes pinion 17 from between the racks 16 at the proper instant. The act of dep releases arm 66 from stop 70 and, allows spring 61 to return cam 55 to normal closed position with its neighbor.

When the springrmotor is reset by compressin'g its spring 14 and drawing .in its cross-head 12, the loose arms 26 turn back on shafts 5 to initial 'osition, leaving the doors free to close by t e agenc of springs 21 and. independent of .the rigor-opening means. It is possible, however, that a perressing lever 49 son may not step off of one platform by the time that its sprmg-mqtor'iis' reset, and some means must be employed to prevent the immediate release again of the motor. Therefore I provide the belleerank lever 72 to 111- sure the locking of lever '36 by latch 34 even though the weightbe still on the platform.

Lever 72 is ivoted to-have both a horizontal and vertica t movement, and one arm is adapteihthrou h the medium of spring 73 and stop 74, to normally interposed be tween projection. 33 and latch 34. .The. other arm is inte'rp'o's'able in the path of a respective cross-hea'd-12 As the doors approach; full-open osition the. cross' head strikes lever 72, roc it and removes it from between projection 33 and latch 34, resuming its normall locked osition with respect to lever 36w an the 'atter is (pulled around eventually by the cross hea So long as the weight remains on 'the pla form, lever 72 cannot mter ,ose itself. between the projection and atch 34, and as projection 33 is so short that'it can'enly'act on latch 34to release the cross-head'whenlever 72 is between the two the s [ring-motor cannot act until the platform hft's'enoughto let lever 7 2 assume once-.mcjre its normal position.

' The followin means are provided to. prevent both plat orms being operated simultaneously, 'as in case two persons ap roaching from opposite directions shou come upon both platforms at the same time, or in case one person is on one platform and the doors are opening away from him and another person should come upon the other platform before the doors are fully opened.

Each platform carries near its outer edge two I projections and two projections 76, Figs.

1 4, 5, 6, the projections 75 76 in each set on the two platforms being arranged in line crosswise of the platform. Each projection 76 is adapted to operate a respective bell-' crank lever 77, which is engageable with a respective collar 78 on across rod 79. This cross-rod 79 is supported in suitable bearings 80, and the'ends of the rod 79 carry blocks 81, inte osable accerding fto the direction Whic' the rod 79 is s ted lay a bell cra'nk 77 into the path of a-corresponding projection 75. Thus if one platform '6 is stepped u on its projections 76 are depressed to kick t eirbe'llacranks 77' and shift the rods 79 previously-described means are sufficient to keep the other platform from being depressed but inasmuch as a fpnerson going through the doorway will step om one platform to the other it is essential that thesecond platform be not allowed to sink until the doors start to close. Hence it is that the following means are provided to temporarily check the withdrawal of one or the other sets of blocks 81 from beneath their respective projections 75.

A spring-actuated latch member 84 is arranged with respect to each block 81, as

shown in Figs. 1, 5, 6. N or-mally with the blocks. 81 in moperative position between respective proj-ections.75 the latches 84 will bear a ainst the side of the res ective blocks 81. he moment, however, tat the rod is shifted to move a block 81 under its rojec-' ti on 75 the latch 84 will automatical y project behind the block '81, as indicated inFig. 6, and hold therod 7 9' in opposition to the springs 82. This latch is retracted, however, as soon as the doors are fully opened by the engagef ment of a rejection 85 on: an arm-4 with -'a respective ell-crank lever 86.-

These levers 86 are suitably positioned relative .to the arc of inovement of the arms 4. The rocking of a beIL'crank lever 86 operates a-rod 86, bellcrank lever 87, which has" one arm connected with a latch member 84, and releases a block 81. The ends of rods 86" where they conmeet with levers 87 are slotted, as at 87, to permit the necessary movements of the levers 86 with respect to the arc of movement of projections 85. Springs 86 act on rods 86" to hold levers 86 in proper operative posi- 5 tion.

\ mal, position.

mesh with a rack The operation-of this part of the apparatus is as follows: When the platform 6 at the left is depressed, rods 79 are shifted to carry their looks 81 at the right-under the projections 75 of the righthand platform to hold the latter up. The latch members 84 on the right spring in behind their blocks 81 and 7 counter the bell-crank levers 86' and rock the levers 87 to retract the latches84. Since the weight has been removed from the platformat the left, the rods 79 are free to act by reason of the tension of spring 82-, and so carry the blocks 81 at the'rig'htpu't from beneath their projections 75 into initial neutral nor- In order to emit two or more persons following sing e file to pass through the doors without having to wait for the spring-motor to be reset or the doors to close completely each time, I provide aplat'e 88 under each platform, each plate 88 having two upwardly-extending projections 89 95 arranged in the path of a respective crosshead and also having a wedge-shaped projection 90 adapted to be thrust under arespective projection 94 on the platform 6 when the cross-head moves outward. Each plate 88 is supported on a lever 49, (by the pin 91 work-v ing in a slot 92,) and the end 90 of the plate slides on a spring 93 on lever 49. When the cross-head is released from set position "and the doors are opened, the wedge 90 is thrust under a projection 94 on the platform, the spring 9-3 giving sufficient for the purpose and resulting in holding a spreader 52 in position between thecoll ars 54 56 and preventing gear 17 moving into engagement with either of the racks 16. As long as the weight remains on the platform the spring 14 will remain expanded and thedoors open, allowing a person to pass through. When the weight is taken off the platform, the spreader 52 lifts, allowing cams 55, which were expanded when the doors opened, to push gear 17 into 16.- When the cam 55 was rocked to spread them and compress. spring 58, the motor-circuit was closed'and shaft 18 set in motion; but as long as the spreader 52 remained between collars 54 56 pinion 17 was ino erative'; If after the wei ht is taken off of the platform and thed'oors ave started to close and the electric motor has started to reset the spring-motor a second person should instantly step on the same platform after the first person has stepped off of it, the spreader 52 will be pressed down again, throwing pinion 17 out of mesh with the rack 16 and allowing spring 14 to, expand again and open the doors. l/Vhen the cross-head returns nearly to its initial set position, it engages projection 95 on plate 88 and withdraws it from beneath the'platform projection 94.

While I have shown the invention applied to double doors, it is manifest that itiseiqhally applicable to a single swinging door.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by. Letters Patent, is

1. In door opening and closing applaratu's,

swing in either direction, a spring-motor on each side of the door-opening, connections between one motor and the doors to open them -:in one direction, and connections between the other motor and the doors to open them in the opposite direction, means to' actuatethe spring-motors independently, and means independent of the motors to close the doors. a

3. In door opening and closing app laratus,

the combination with a pair of doors ung to swing in either direction, a spring-motor on each side of the door-o ening, connections between one motor and t e doors to open the latter in one direction, and connections between the doors and the othermotor to open the doors in the opposite direction, a mov: able platform on each side of the door-opening, and means for releasing each motor independently on the depression of its respective platform.

4. Ina door opening and closing ap aratus, thecombination with a pair of doors ung to swing in either direction, a spring-motor on each side of the door-opening,- connections between one motor and the doors to open the latter in one direction, and connections between the doors and the other motor to open the doors in the opposite direction; a mov'- able platform on each sideof the door-opening, means for releasing each" motor independently on the depression of its respective platform, and means for resetting a motor on the raising of its platform.

5. In door opening and closing ap aratus, the combination with a pair of doors. ung to swing in either direction, a spring-motor on each side of the door-opening, connections between the motors and doors'to open the latter, means to reset the motors, hin ed latforms and means operated by the p atiorms to release the motors.

6. In door opening and closing apparatus, the combination of a door, a spring-motor connected with the door to open the latter,

, 7. In door opening and closin'gappparatus, the combination of a pair of doors hung to swing in either direction, spring-motors con nected with the doors. to open the latter, a hinged platform on each side of the dooropening, and means operated through the p atforms to actuate the motors.

8. In door opening and closing ap aratus, the combination of a pair of doors lung to S Wing in either direction, spring-motors connected with the doorsto open the latter, a hinged platform on each side of the door- 0 ening, and means operated through the p atforms to actuate the motors, said lastnamed'gmeans including an electric motor to reset the'spring-motors.

9. In door openi'n and closing apparatus, the combination with a door, of a-spring-actuated member connected with the door to turn the latter in one direction, means independent of said member to turn the door in the opposite direction, electrically-operating means to set and hold said member against the action of its spring, a hinged platform and suitable connections operated therethrough to release said member from its set position.

10. In door opening and closin .apparatus, the combination with a door, 0 a spring actuated member connected with the door to turn the latter in one direction, means independent of said member to turn the door in the opposite direction, electrically-operating means to set and hold said member against the action of its spring, a hinged platform and suitable connections operated therethrough to release said member from its set osition, said setting means for said member including an intermittently-operated electric motor. 11. In door opening and closin apparatus, the combination with a door, of a spring.-

actuated member connected with the door to i turn the latter, a rack-bar connected with said member, a pinion enga eable with and disengageable from said rach-bar, means to: to

engage the pinion with the bar, means to rotate the pinion to set the spring-actuated member a ainst the tension of its spring, and means to ock said member in said set position.

12. In door opening and closing apparatus, the combination with a door, .of a spring-actuated member connectedwith the door to turn the latter, a rack-bar connected with said member, a pinion enga' eable with and disengageable from said rach-bar, means' to engage the pinion with the bar, means to rotate the pinion to set the spring-actuated member' against the tension of its sprin means to lock said member in said set posltion, said'means to rotatethe pinion being electrically operated, and switch mechanism for said-electrically-o era-ted means 0 erable synchronously with t e engaging an disengaging movements of the pinion.

13. In door opening and closing apparatus, the combination of a door, a hinged platform, a spring-actuated part beneath the platform suitably connected with the door to open the door on the movement of said part in one direction, electrically-operated ,means for moving said part in the opposite direction to set it, and means for holding said part insaid set ,operativeposition. v

14. Indoor opening and closing apparatus, the combination of a .door, a hinged platform, a springactuated .part beneath the platform'suitably connected with the door to 7 platform to move said pinion into and out of open the door on the movement of said part in one direction, electrically-operated means for moving said part in the opposite direction to set'it, means for holding said part in said set'op'erative position, and means operative by the platform for setting, said electricallyoperated means in operation.

l5r -gIn a door opening and' closing, apparatus, the combinatlon of a door, a hinged platform, .a springeactuated part beneath the platform suitably connectedwith the door, said part'provided with a rack-bar portion, a

pinion movable into and out. of engagement with saidrack-bar, means operative by the engagement with said rack-bar and means to cperatethe rack-bar. 3 16. In door'opening and closing apparatus,

the, combination of a door, a hinged platform, a spring-actuated part connected With- .the door to open the latter, means independent of said part to close the door, means for holding said part in set position against the tension of its spring in readiness to open the door, means operated by the platform to release said part to open the door, electricallyoperated means for resetting said part in readiness for the next operation, and detent means operatable through the mediumof the platform for holding said spring actuated part in set position.

17. In door opening and closing apparatus,

the combination of adoor, a hinged platform, a spring-actuated'part connected withv the door to openthe door, meansindependent of said spring-actuated part to close the door, said springactuated part having a rack-bar portion, a pinion intermittently engageable with the rack-barto move the latter to set said spring-actuated part in operative position, means to move the pinion and electricallyoperated means to rotate the pinion.

18. In door opening and closing means, the combination of a door, a hinged platform spring-actuated'part connected with the door to turn the latter, a rack-bar portion connected with said spring-actuated part, a pinion to engage said rack-bar, means operative through the-medium-of the movements of the platform to move said pinion into and out. of

engagement with said rack-bar, means toros;

tate the pinion and means to prevent the ondoor, and means to set said part in operative position in readiness. to open the doors.

20; In door opening and closing apparatus, the combination of a-door, a hinged platform, a sprin -actuated part beneath the platform suita ly connected with the door to open the latter on the movement of said part in one direction, spring-means to move said part in said direction to open the'door, a rackbar connected with said art, a oWer-shaft, a pinion slidable on said s aft an engageable and .disengageable with said rack-bar, means to effect the disengagement of said inion with said .rack-bar,.means controlled y the movements of the platform to set said shaft in motion to move said spring-actuated part against the tension of lllSiS ring.

21. In door opening an closing apparatus,

the combination of a door, a hinged plat-- form, means beneath the platform and o erative thereby to open the door in one 'rection, means independent of said opening means to close the door, said. door-opening means including a spring-actuated part,'a

- rack-bar connected therewith, a ower-shaft,

a pinion slidable on the shaft an engageable and disengageable-With said rack-bar, means including a rockable cam on the shaft. to move said pinion into engagement withsaid rack-bar and means to rotate the shaft.

22. In door opening and closing apparatus, the combination of a door, a'hinged platform, means beneath the platform and o erative thereby to open the doorin one irec- 'tion, means independent of said opening, ,means to close the door, said door-opening means including a spring-actuated part, a rack-bar connected therewith, a ower-shaft, a pinion slidable on the shaft an engageable and disengageable with said rack-bar, means r to including a rockable cam on the shaft to move said pinion into engagement with said rack-bar, means to rotate the shaft, and means operative throu h the movement of the platform to contro the engagement of said rack-bar.

23. In a door opening and closing apparatus, the combination of a pair of doors, a hinged platform, a spring-actuated art beneath the platform connected with t e doors .to open the letter on the movement of said apart 1n one dlrection, a spring to effect said movement of said part to open the doors, a rack-bar connected with said part, apowershaft, a pinion slidable on the shaft and engageable with the rack-bar, means to turn the pinion to retract the bar to compress said spring, detent means to hold said spring-ad tuated part in set position against the tension of its spring, and means operative by the platform to release said detent means.

24. In a door opening and closing appara tus, the combination of a pair of doors, a hinged platform, a springactuated part beneath the platform connected with the doors to open the latter on the movement of said part in one direction, a spring to effect said -movement of said part to open the doors, a

rack-bar connected with said part, a powershaft, a pinion slidable on the shaft and engageable with the rack-bar, means to turn the pinion to retract the bar to compress said spring, detent means to hold said spring-ac tuated part in set position against the tension of its spring, means operative by the plat form to release said detent means, and means controlled by the movements of the platform to govern the engagement of the pinion with said rack-bar.

25. In door opening and closing apparatus, the combination of a pair of doors, a hinged platform on each side of the door-opening, a spring-actuated part under each platform suitably connected with the doors to open the latter, a spring to actuate each of said parts, each of said parts having rack-bar extensions, said extensions arranged. parallel withand suitably spaced from each other, a pinion operative between said rack-bars and engageable and disengageable therewith, and

"means whereby said pinion may be engaged with one rack-bar to set its spring-actuated part without affecting the other rack-bar.

26. In door opening and closing apparatus, the combination of a pair of doors, a hinged platform. on each side of the door-opening, a spring-actuated part under each platform suitably connected with the doors to open the latter, a spring to actuate each of said parts, each of said parts having rack-bar extensions, said extensions arranged parallel with and suitably spaced from each other, a pinion operative between said rack-bars and engageable and disengageable therewith, means whereby said pinion may be engaged with one rack-bar to set its spring-actuated part.

without affecting the other rack-bar, means for locking saidspring-actuated parts in set position, and means to release one of said spring-actuated parts to open the 'doors in one direction without affecting said other spring-actuated part.

27. In door opening and closing apparatus, the combination of a pair of doors, a hinged platform on each side of the door-opening, a spring-actuated part under each platform suitably connected with the doors to open the latter, a spring to actuate each of said parts, each of said parts havingirack-bar extensions, said extensions arranged parallel .and suitably spaced from each other, a pin ion operative between said rack-bars and en'- gageable and disengageahle therewith, means whereby said pinion may he engaged with one rack-bar to set its spring-actuated part without affecting the other raclebar, means for locking said spring-actuated parts in set position, means, to release one of said springactuated parts to'open the doors in one direction without affecting said other spring-actuated part, and means controlled by the movemen ts of the platforms to govern the engage in ent of said pinion with the respective rackbars.

28. In door opening and closing apparatus, the combinatipn of a pair of doors, a hinged platform, a spring-actuated part suitably connected with the doors to open the latter, a-spring to actuate said part, a rack-bar connectcd with said spring -actuated part, a power-shaft, a pinion slidable on the shaft and movable into and out of engagement with said rack-bar, a loose collar on the shaft connected with said pinion, a'fixed collar on the shaft between said pinion and said loose collar, means for carrying the pinion normally out of engagement with said rack-bar, a means including a rockable cam member cooperating with said fixed collar to move said pinion into engagement with said rack bar, and electrically-operated means to turn the shaft to set said spring-actuated part.

29. In door opening and closing apparatus, the'combination of a pair of doors, a hinged platform, a spring-actuated part suitably connected with the doors to open the latter, a spring to actuate said part, a rack-bar connected with said spring-actuated part, a power-shaft, a pinion slidable on the shaft and movable into and out of engagement with said rack-bar, a loose collar on the shaft connected with said pinion, a fixed collar on the shaft between said pinion and said loose collar, means for carrying the pinion normally out of engagement with said rack-bar, a means including a rockable cam member cooperating with said fixed collar to move said pinion into engagement with said rackbar, electrically-operated meansto turn the shaft to set said spring-actuated art, and switch mechanism operative by t 1e movements of said cam for controlling the opera-' tion of said electrically-operated means.

30. In a door opening and closing apparahinged platform on each side of the doorening, a spring-actuated part under each p atform suitably connected with the doors to open the latter, a spring to actuate each of said parts, each of said parts having rackbar extensions, said extensions arranged par- 'allel and suitably spaced from each other, a

tus', the combination of a pair of doors, a'

ments of the platforms to govern the engagementof said pinion with the respective rackbars," a;1d a device independent of said means pinionoperative-between said rack-bars and }for 'maintaining the pinion normally out of engageable and disengageable therewith, engagement with said rack-bar, and operai 5 means. whereby said pinion may be engaged tive by the movement of the platform to conwith-0nerack-bar to set its spring-actuated j trol the engagement of said pinion with said part Without affecting the other rack-bar, i rack-bars. means for looking said spring-actuated parts In testimony whereof I have hereunto set in set position, means to release one of said my hand in presence of twosubscribing Wit- 2o sipring-aotuated parigs to open tliie dfiors in one nesses. v

irection Without a eetingsai 0t er springv T I, i I

actuated part, means controlled by the move- KER ZAEMON NISHIMOTO Witnesses:

SUETORA NAKAHARA,

GUs. S. TAKENATO. 

